


Weeds & Wildflowers

by Snugglebuttkitten



Series: Farmer's Daughter AU [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adult Themes, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Kwamis, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bad Boy x Good Girl Trope, Country AU, Endgame Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Heartland AU, Horse AU, Strong Language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:35:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29654880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snugglebuttkitten/pseuds/Snugglebuttkitten
Summary: Marinette had a plan. First, she would impress her coach, then qualify for the Junior Olympics, and if she was really lucky, she would win Gold in all three events. From there, she would go all the way to the big leagues. Luka Couffaine did NOT fit into those plans.Luka had a plan, too. Get some fast money, grab his sister, and get the hell out of dodge. He never planned to fall in with the wrong crowd or get caught by the police, and he definitely hadn't planned to wind up at some backward hick horse ranch with some prissy wannabe Olympian bossing him around.Marinette and Luka are total opposites. But you know that they say about opposites and attraction. Usually, they go hand in hand.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Kagami Tsurugi, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: Farmer's Daughter AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1727692
Comments: 5
Kudos: 19





	Weeds & Wildflowers

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I did say I would eventually try to write a Multichaptered fic based off of my story "There's Something About The Farmer's Daughter". And as it's 4 something am and I can't sleep, I figured there's no time like the present ;)

Luka Couffaine glanced up and down the alley, his fingers flexing anxiously around the strap of the acoustic guitar slung over his back. It was nearing midnight and the night was silent save for the soft pitter patter of raindrops on cement and the distant sound of sirens that only served to set his teeth on edge. Releasing the death grip he had on his guitar strap, the young man quickly glanced at the watch on his wrist. Eleven forty-five. They were fifteen minutes late. This was a mistake. He shouldn’t be here. He should just turn around and go home, forget about this night and the meeting that was supposed to take place. If Juleka found out he was here, and who he was meant to be meeting with… he shuddered at the very thought of what his younger sister would do to him. Luka had done a lot of stupid shit in his nineteen years, but certainly  _ this _ took the cake. He should most definitely leave. They would be annoyed, sure. But the Silver Fangs would most likely accept his decision to bow out gracefully. At least, he hoped they would.

Before he could make that decision, a door opened a few feet down from him and music spilled out into the otherwise silent night air. Even out here, the bass was enough to make the ground quiver beneath his feet and trepidation tripped down his spine as three men and a woman spilled out of the club. He recognized them instantly and immediately straightened up as one of the men caught sight of him, elbowing the tallest of the men and nodding towards him. Too late now. The tallest of the men followed his buddy’s look and a wide grin flashed across his face as he turned, hands shoving deep into his pockets as he adjusted his trajectory to approach Luka. The other three followed. The man in the lead pulled his hands from his pockets as he drew near and spread his arms as he gestured to encompass all of Luka.

“Well, well, well. You actually showed up. Maybe you aren’t as much of a pansy as I pegged you for, Couffaine,” he said by way of greeting, earning a snicker from his companions. Luka’s eyes hardened slightly but he kept his tone light and cordial as he responded, well aware of who he was dealing with and what happened to the people who got mouthy with him.

“I said I would come, and I’m here. Let’s get this over with.”

Viper tsked, finally stopping and dropping his arms when only a few feet separated them. His gaze raked over Luka’s form, taking in the ratty blue hoodie, ripped skinny jeans, tousled hair and ever-present guitar on his back. The two couldn’t have looked more different if they tried. Viper was at least a head taller than he was, and where Luka was lean Viper was muscular. His head was shaved clean, a tattoo of a snake winding up his neck to his skull, where it appeared the snake was attempting to swallow his head whole like an oversized egg. His close were meticulously pressed, even after being in a nightclub for who knew how long, a leather jacket and slacks over a white button down. Aside from the snake tattoo, he could almost pass for a businessman if not for the predatory gleam that lit up his green eyes.

“Always so serious, Couffaine. Come, have a drink with the boys and me. Let loose a little before we talk business,” the older man invited, but Luka shook his head firmly. He hadn’t come here to play nice with Viper. He had come to do a job and now that the man was here, he planned to follow through even if it killed him. Unfortunately, knowing Viper, death was always a distinct possibility.

“I’m not here to be your friend, Viper, and I have no intention of joining you. I told you, this is a one time thing and then we’re through,” he said, finally meeting the man’s gaze head on. It was something few people dared to do, but Luka knew it was also the only way to convey how serious he was. A hint of respect flashed across the man’s face before he shrugged.

“Suit yourself, kid. Something tells me you would be a much bigger asset than your old man. But I’m not gonna force you. Bone, give him the goods,” Viper glanced back at his companions and the one named Bones stepped forward with a briefcase in hand. He was rail thin with brown hair hanging loose to his chin and ded brown eyes that had always creeped Luka out. Viper took the briefcase, flipping the latches and popping open the case to reveal a sleek handgun and a box of ammunition. Luka hesitated only briefly before he reached in and took the gun. The metal was cold to the touch and the gun felt unnatural and heavy in his hand, even though he had fired off much bigger guns than this before. But that was in another lifetime. Before his uncle had shot his mother. Before he and his sister had been forced to live with their drunken, gangbanger father.

“Just like I promised, kid. You take care of the little rat that got into my stash, and I’ll set you and your baby sis up with enough cash to get out of town and settle down. As an added bonus, I’ll even make sure your old man doesn’t try to track you down,” Viper said with a cold smile that sent chills down Luka’s spine. The gun suddenly felt ten times heavier than it had before, but that didn’t stop him from sliding it into the back of his waistband or pocketing the extra rounds.

“Alright, deal,” he finally said, shoving down the sick feeling that roiled in his gut. He knew what Viper was doing, trying to draw him into the gang the same way he had coerced Luka’s father. But it wouldn’t work. Not this time. His father hadn’t had anyone to protect when he was Luka’s age. But Luka had his sister. And for Juleka, he would risk everything. So even though Viper’s broadening grin made him feel like he had just signed a contract with the devil, Luka took the gun and headed back home. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would track down Marcus and do as Viper asked of him. The day after, he would book him and Juleka one way tickets out of Phoenix and with any luck, they wouldn’t be coming back. Ever again.

  
  
  
  
  


“Are you sure this is safe?” Marinette Dupain-Cheng had to practically shout to be heard over the wind and the rain that seemed to be coming down in torrents as she wrestled the door to the trailer open and turned towards the open paddock where her parents stood watching the young stallion within. Without cover or even a blanket to keep him warm, he was sure to catch his death in the icy rain if they didn’t do something quick. 

“We’ll be fine. We just need to get him into the trailer, quick,” her mother reassured as the young girl came to stand beside them, watching the horse nervously. Even in the dark, she could tell he was a beautiful animal. His grayish brown pelt nearly blended in with the night, the scars of abuse she knew to be present on his body hidden in the darkness. He was watching them, the whites of his eyes clearly visible as he pawed at the ground in warning. He was scared and Marinette didn’t blame him. But a scared horse was a dangerous horse and they were already risking a lot just by being here in the first place.

“Stay here and keep watch. We’ll get him,” her father’s large, warm hand settled briefly on her shoulder and he shot her a quick smile before turning back to the task at hand. Marinette’s gaze darted nervously to the farm house that sat about a dozen feet back. The windows were pitch black, but she could have sworn she saw movement flash in one of them. 

“Maybe we should come back another day? What if Mr. Hamesh catches us,” she called nervously.

“I’d like to see him try and stop us from taking this animal,” Sabine Cheng’s voice was soft and gentle, even despite the underlying anger. The last thing any of them wanted was for the young stallion to bolt. He was already pawing at the ground and snorting, warning them back even as they crowded closer. Thunder rumbled overhead and lightning briefly illuminated the rundown farm. A sharp whinny rose from the horse as he reared in fright. Marinette gasped as her parents backed off, neither wanting to meet the business end of the stallion’s hooves.

Glancing around quickly to once again confirm that the farm was empty and still, Marinette abandoned her post and approached cautiously. The horse seemed even less enthused now that there were three people crowding him, but at least for the time being he didn’t look like he was about to run anyone down. Sabine glanced at her in a silent question. “Let me try. Give us space?” Marinette took the lead rope her father offered and fished a handful of sugarcubes from her pocket as her parents slowly backed away to give them space. With the other two threats out of the way, the horse focused on her instead and his ears flicked forward as she began to talk.

“Hey, boy. Good boy. We aren’t here to hurt you,” she said softly, edging closer with the sugarcubes outstretched. “We just want to get you away from this place and that mean old owner. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? A nice warm stall, a blanket of your own. Plenty of room to run and play,” she edged closer still as the young horse leaned forward, nostrils flaring as he smelled the sugar. “You like that, boy? I have a bit of a sweet tooth myself. Go on, its for you,” she whispered. Soft lips brushed her finger tips and dragged along her fingers to her palm where he gingerly took the sugar cubes. Lifting her hand cautiously, Marinette stroked along his cheek and under his muzzle until she could clip the lead to the halter he was wearing. A gentle tug was all the prompting he needed after that to follow her out of the paddock and into the trailer where she got him quickly before rejoining her parents outside.

The trailer door cleaning shut sounded like a shotgun in the night and beyond the paddock, a light flicked on. By the time Mr. Hamesh made it outside, all that were visible were a couple of taillights and an empty paddock.

**Author's Note:**

> Lemme Know What You Think!


End file.
